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Monday, May 5, 2014

Comfortable Sandals at Dillard's - Podiatrist Recommended.


Podiatrist Recommended
Top Comfortable Sandals at Dillards
Spring 2014





Clark's Lexi Sumac


What's great about this sandal is that the sole is thick, rigid and not flexible, which offers more biomechanical protection for the foot. An excellent feature is that this is an exceptionally light-weight sandal. This is a great option for older or more sedentary patients who need a comfortable and light-weight shoe. 





Alegria Kleo


This sandal is appropriate for a multitude of podiatric conditions. The sole is thick, rigid and not flexible and it has a soft topcover with good arch support. I love that it has wide strapping for forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot control, which translates to more biomechanical control to the foot and ankle structures. I have the Alegria enclosed shoe, which has the same sole and it is amazingly comfortable for all day wear. 

This is, in my opinion, the best sandal on this list, so I am including a pathology specific recommendation list:

Alegria Kleo is recommended for patients with:
*Mild to Moderate Bunions
*Hammertoes
*Mild to Moderate Tailor's Bunions
*Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
*Hallux Limitus
*Hallux Rigidus
*Plantar Plate Injury
*Capsulitis
*Mild Achille's Tendonitis
*Mild Tendonitis
*Osteoarthritis
*Mild to Moderate Rheumatoid Arthritis
*Mild to Moderate Over-Pronators
*Mild to Moderate Hypermobility
*Sesamoiditis
*Metatarsalgia
*Morton's Neuroma
*Patients Recovering from Lisfranc's injury
*Knee, hip & lower back pain

Alegria Kleo not recommended for patients with:
*Diabetes
*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
*Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
*Charcot Foot
*Drop Foot
*History of ulceration






Dansko Sonnet


This is my new Spring sandal and I love the thick, rigid sole with a wide base, which means less motion, which translates to more comfort, less mechanical strain and decreased chance of injury. Also, the low heel height and the adjustable velcro straps and soft topcover add to the comfort. 

One word of caution with Dansko, they do not work well if you are planning to spend lots of time walking on cobblestone. If you are going to Europe or vacationing anyplace with lots of cobblestone, you need a shoe with a thick, rigid sole but something with just a touch of "give" like the Alegria Kleo, Romika Fidji or Ecco Yucaton. 





Naturalizer Tanner


This sandal is a good option for anyone who can wear a slight heel. The sole is thick and rigid and it has excellent forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot control. If you have any significant forefoot issues, this is not the best choice because of the heel height. 






Teva Capri


For anyone who can wear a heel, this is a good choice. I would not recommend this sandal for anyone who has any significant forefoot issues such as Morton's Neuroma, Hallux Limitus or if you are recovering from injury or fracture of the metatarsal joints. 

It may work well for anyone who might have mild Achille's tendonitis because the heel lift decreases tension on the Achilles. 





Fit Flop Sandal


I like the Fit Flop sandals for anyone with prominent bunions because it offers the thick, non-flexible sole as well as midfoot and rearfoot control, but it doesn't have any straps causing pressure on the bunion or Tailor's bunion area. It also has enough shock absorption to help with anyone suffering with mild heel pain or Achilles tendonitis. I wish it had more midfoot strapping, but it you have large bunions that hurt with shoe pressure, this is a good choice. 

It's very important that you get the Fit Flops with rearfoot strapping as it offers more rearfoot control, which helps with forefoot issues as well as knee, hip and lower back issues. If you get the Fit Flop flip-flop with no rearfoot strapping, you are forcing all your tendons, muscles and joints to work harder to stay in the flip-flop, which causes more mechanical strain and "tired-leg syndrome".






Romika Fidji


The sole doesn't flex or bend and this sandal has excellent forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot control. It also has decent arch support and the wide base makes it a stable shoe. It's well made, sturdy and should work well for anyone with painful bumps on the top of the midfoot area (Lisfranc's exostosis) as well as forefoot problems such as Hallux Limitus, metatarsalgia, and hammertoes. 







Ecco Yucaton

If you get this sandal, make sure you purchase one that doesn't bend or flex for more comfort and biomechanical control. I've noticed that the quality can vary significantly from sandal to sandal. If you happen to get one that bends too much, ask the saleperson to let you try another in the same size. The adjustable straps and excellent arch support make this sandal comfortable for all day wear. If you have severe forefoot issues, you would be better off with the Alegria Kleo. 






Born Emmy Mouton

I love this sandal, but it is not appropriate for anyone with Hallux Limitus or any forefoot issues. If you know that you can comfortably wear a shoe this height, this should be a comfortable sandal for you. I like the wide forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot strapping that allows for more biomechanical control. 



I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)




21 comments:

Nicole said...

Do you find the sizing to be the same for you in Danskos and Alegrias?

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Nocole,
I own both types of shoes and I wear a 40 in Dankso but wear a 9 1/2 in Alegria. WIth these two brands, I recommend you go to the store and try on the size that feels the best. I like my shoes a little larger because I don't like any pressure on my toes.
Cathy
:)

Jackson said...

Wow! these are so perfect for me. i am looking everywhere for Tory Burch sandals but ended up with nothing. Please suggest if there is any affordable website offering sandals.

Sally said...

Thanks for the great recommendations! How does the Teva Cabrillo compare to the Teva Capri - are they comparable?

Joint Pain said...

This article was very helpful in answering allot of questions.Thanks for posting.

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Sally,
Sorry for the delayed response!
I saw the Teva Capri in person, so I know that the one I checked did not bend or flex, which means that I can give it a thumbs up. I'm sorry to say that I haven't seen the Cabrillo in person, so I don't know if it bends or flexes. Just remember that if you can bend or flex it, it is not good enough for your feet.
Thanks for reading!
Cathy
:)

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Jackson,
Sorry for the delayed response. I'm sorry that I don't have any recommendations on websites offering that particular brand. I'm also not familiar with that brand. Sorry!
Cathy
:)

pamshoes said...

Hi Dr. Cathy,

I love your blog! It's really changed my life. I came across it after increasing foot pain over the years. I've been online shopping and switching out my shoes. My question for you is: what insert would you recommend to add arch support to high heels? I'd like to 'salvage' some platform pumps with some arch support but the inserts I've seen are for flats.

Thanks,

Pam

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Pam,
I'd recommend a heat-molded dress insert, which many Pods carry in their office. They run about $120 and will last for years and will go in most dress shoes. We also carry another OTC dress insert in our office that runs $40, but I forget the name of it (I will let you know on Tuesday when I return to work - you may be able to find it online). Cost-co and Dr Scholl's both have a decent OTC dress insert that should work in most dress shoes.
Hope that was helpful,
Cathy
:)

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Thanks for the kind words and thanks for reading, Pam!
:)

Melissa said...

Any thoughts on Oh! Raja heel? My metatarsophalangeal joint of 1st toe is sore after heels & I'm getting calluses if I don't wear moleskin. Also recommendations for insoles for heels?

Melissa said...

Other options: gentle souls remcology or aerosoles streetscape?

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Melissa,
Sorry for the delayed response!

I have not seen any of these in person so I can't say for sure. The Oh Raja heel looks like it may meet the criteria - just make sure that the forefoot area/sole doesn't bend or flex. Same with the Aerosoles and the Gentle Souls. They all look pretty good - as long as the forefoot area has no bend or flex.

Also, if you have forefoot issues, they might have too much heel height for you. You'll have to try them on and make sure they are comfortable.

Let me know how they work out,
Cathy
:)

Unknown said...

I like that you have so many options. I have this weird bump that has been growing on the back of my heel, and I've been trying to find something to comfortable to wear. I think I might try some of these that you showed. I really need some that I can work all day in. Right now I've just been wearing sandals. http://www.chicagofeet.com/

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Dolores,
Thank you for the kind words and for reading the blog!
You probably have a Haglund's deformity, which is also known as a 'pump bump'. If it is causing increased discomfort or betting bigger, I would get checked out by a Podiatrist. If it is a diagnosed by a doctor as a Haglund's deformity, I do not recommend surgically fixing it. The bump is usually caused by the bone rubbing against the shoe, which causes irritation and the bone gets bigger - so proper shoegear is really important to slowing the progression of the deformity. Glad the blog was helpful!
Hope all is well,
Cathy
:)

Krista said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Krista said...

I am actually wearing those Dansko Sonnet sandals right now!

I've just discovered your blog and am so grateful for this resource. I have a question. I have a fractured sesamoid bone in one foot (wore a boot for 8 weeks) and I've bruised the sesamoid bones in my other foot. Are the Dansko Sonnet's a good choice to wear during my recovery, or would the Alegria Kleo be better for this condition? Or, is there another sandal that I should try? (I don't want to spend another $120, but will if it will help).

Also, does it matter which of the RX Crocs I buy to wear around the house--Specialist, Relief, or Ultimate Cloud? Thank you so much! Krista

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Krista,
Thanks for reading the blog and thank you for the kind words!

It doesn't matter if your get the Crocs RX Specialist Relief or the Ultimate Cloud. I personally prefer the ultimate Cloud because it has the extra toe guard and I tend to be a bit clutsy. I would suggest trying on both and getting whichever one feels the best.

I own both the Dankso Sonnet and the Alegria Kleo and they are both excellent sandals for a healing sesamoid fracture. You're okay wearing either one. Theoretically, the Alegria should be superior because it has more midfoot strapping, which creates superior motion control. I would also recommend trying on both and getting whichever one feels better.

Hope all is well!
Cathy
:)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
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